Lonely, But Not Alone
by Where Do You go
Summary: Set a few years after the original show. Carly's whole life has caved in around her. Freddie and Sam have gotten together, Spencer's kicked her out, her father's basically ignored her, and now she has nothing. Summary inside. Light yuri later, warning now


_Yo dudes! This is my first iCarly fanfic, so it may be a bit too artsy for the whole simple concept of the show. But enough about me, here's the summary:_

_**Carly's life has caved in on her. Freddie and Sam have gotten together on the day she found out her feelings, Spencer has kicked her out, her father has totally abandoned her, and she has only a minimum wage job to get her...nowhere. Everything seems to be over until she meets a kind girl on the street that offers to help her...**_

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Carly sat on the dirty bench at the corner of 23rd avenue, tears running silently down her face. Only a few hours ago she had been laughing with her friends, so unsuspecting of the news they had to share. Sam and Freddie? It didn't make sense! The two had always hated each other, or so it seemed. Did she miss something through their bickering, or was it just that? That their bickering was actually flirting, and Freddie's facade of "loving her" was to hide the relationship they had had throughout school? It was so confusing!

Of course, it had to be the day she realized how much she loved Freddie! That's how it always happened. But, she couldn't do a damn thing now. After all, didn't _responsible_ young men marry the young women they impregnated?

The cold, winter air bit nastily at her tear-stained cheeks, chilling them as they fell. She wondered how people could be so cruel, letting others to crash and burn in the loneliness of rejection.

Just as she felt herself getting better, more tears oozed from her reddened eyes. Why had she allowed herself to fall in love so deeply, and forget the possibility of getting hurt? Was _this_ what love was? If this was what would happen every time she found herself in love, then she preferred to never love again!

A shadow cast over her, distracting her from her misery. Looking to her left—where the shadow came from—she saw the form of a girl, only a few years older than herself. She had dark, long, curly hair; round, pink cheeks; a pointed nose, and solid, hazel eyes. On her face was a general look of deep thought and she seemed to have a question on tongue.

"Yes?" Carly managed, attempting to hide the very-apparent tears. "Can I help you?" The girl shook her head, still looking at her questioningly.

"Why are you crying?" Her question surprised Carly. She had never met someone so forward, but in her state of distress, she dismissed it.

The girl sat down beside her, brandishing a handkerchief from her coat pocket. She offered it to Carly, who took it gladly. Wiping away the rest of her tears, she smiled, happy someone had stopped to help her. Sniffling pathetically, she looked at the girl, and sighed briefly.

"You want to know why I'm crying?" she asked, unsurprised when the girl nodded. With remorse, she continued to wipe her tears, and explained the story she had replayed dozens of times in her head...

When Carly was finished with her story, she looked expectantly at the girl, hoping to gather an emotion of some kind from her expression. But, none came from the girl's unmoving face; at least, none other than the same questioning appeal that lingered in her eyes. She had only spoken once as Carly was explaining her story, and that had been to ask who each person she had mentioned was.

"You really loved him?" the girl finally asked, shifting slightly in her bench seat. Carly nodded, sighing again. It had been hard enough to explain her problem to a total stranger, but what was worse was that she felt better after doing so. Her brother Spencer had remained awkwardly silent after hearing her story, and her father had tried to explain the importance of "understanding" in the game of love.

Yet, with this considerate stranger, Carly had felt totally at ease. At no time during their encounter had she felt at risk or uncomfortable. In fact, she felt like she could tell this person anything, no matter what it was.

The girl pursed in lips, as if in thought, and stood up. Grabbing Carly's hand, she lightly forced her to stand too.

"What are you--" Carly's question was stopped by the girl placing her finger to Carly's lips.

"You're sad and alone, yes?" Carly nodded. "Then I'll take you to lunch, and I'll comfort you, maybe even learn something about you in the process."

Carly made no objection, and she wondered why. Again, no conflicting thoughts greeted the action of lunch with this complete stranger. She still wondered how still girl, who still hadn't introduced herself or inquired upon Carly's identity, could allow herself to give such kindness to another stranger.

After walking several blocks, the girl led Carly into a diner that was squished in between a grocery store and a retail shop. Inside were several wooden tables--each surrounded by 2-4 chairs--and black, leather booths. Only a few people were to be seen, each involved with thee, themselves, and thy. A bar was located off to the side, and that was where the most people sat.

The girl led them to a secluded booth, out of the general line of sight of the other customers and waiters. Sitting across from the girl, Carly saw a smile play on her lips, it being discretely concealed by the girl.

A tall, lanky waiter with flat, red hair walked over to their table, his steps loud and few.

"Hullo Miss Lazin," the waiter greeted politely, casting a shrewd glance at Carly. "What will you have today?" The girl, rather "Miss Lazin," smiled.

"I'm afraid we haven't decided yet, Hall," she responded. "Can you give us a moment?" The waiter Hall nodded, and he trudged off loudly. Carly looked at the girl, who had finally allowed herself to smile.

"Hello," she said suddenly, a bright, happy tone in her voice.

"H-hello," Carly returned, now confused. Hadn't she been an abstract character only 10 minutes ago?

"It's nice to meet you," she continued, still smiling. It was infectious, and soon enough Carly was smiling. "I'm Sara Lazin. And you are...?" Carly checked herself and again returned the formalities.

"Carly Shay," she finished. Sara nodded, and sipped quietly at the water Hall had given them when he had first presented himself. For several moments they were quiet, Sara's face returning to a its placid state, but this time with less question behind her eyes.

"So Carly Shay," Sara finally said, setting aside her glass. "What do you plan on doing now?" Carly stiffened, surprised by the forward, quick nature of the question. Sara seemed unaffected by Carly's silence, continuing to sip her water.

"Well, um," Carly stuttered, her composure slipping by the minute. "D-do? Wh-what do you mean?" Sara smiled again.

"I mean, now that you're unable to get with the guy you like, what do you plan on doing?" Carly began to say something, but stopped herself, and bit her lip nervously. That was a good question: what did she plan on doing? Since her brother had kicked her out, she had nowhere to stay, and her job didn't pay her enough money to live in her own apartment. In short, she was homeless, staying in a shady motel to elude herself and her friends.

"Well, I am saving up my money, and one of these days, I might be able to get an apartment or—" She stopped herself. What was she saying? This person...was _making_ her _say_ things, _do_ things that she would usually _never_ do when she felt so sad and alone.

Sara looked at her, egging Carly to continue. What was it about this person that made Carly so at ease? Was it her expression? Her voice? Or was it...her eyes! That had to be it. Those two hazel orbs that stared relentlessly at you, lightly instilling a sense of comfort and hospitality.

"Carly?" Carly looked at Sara in surprise, having lost herself in her collective thought. "Are you okay?" Again, she nodded, looking at Sara with suspicion. Now that she had cleared her mind and begun to think clearly, she questioned her more deeply. Why had she stopped to help Carly? Why had she offered to buy her lunch? Was Carly to simply believe that this was the random act of a kind stranger?

"Why?" Carly asked suddenly, without thinking. Sara knitted her eyebrows, not understanding the question.

"Excuse me?" she asked, confusion riddled in her expression and tone of voice.

"Why?" Carly repeated, looking directly at Sara. "Why are we here?" Sara laughed, smiling again.

"Because we're going to order lunch, Carly," she replied, stopping Carly in her tracks. "I found you, miserable on the street, talked to you, and now I plan on buying you lunch." Carly exhaled roughly, her frustration building.

"No! That's not what I meant!" Carly cried, stirring the atmosphere. Several people turned their heads to speculate, but Carly didn't care. All her spare melancholy had turned into anger and frustration, and she intended to take it out on someone. "I meant, why are you being so nice to me? Why are you taking time out of your schedule, your _life _to help me: a poor, helpless, heartbroken girl with no place to go and no talents to vouch for?" Sara looked at her, a conflicting look on her face.

"Is that how you see your self?" she asked quietly, her hazel eyes staring at Carly, pulling her into their owner's grasp. "As a talentless girl with nothing? Because, even though I've just met you, I can tell you now I've never thought anything like that of you.

"To me," she continued, her words firm and domineering "You are just as talented and special as anybody, maybe even more." Sara finished, watching Carly in slight disdain.

Carly knew she had more to say than that. She saw that that speech wasn't even finished, but she didn't see why: why this person continued to censor herself and treat Carly like a delicate flower. Why she had allowed herself to help a random 18-year old girl she had found crying on the street. Why she seemed so inclined to justify that Carly was not a complete loser, and that she did have some sort of feasible future to look forward to.

The two girls remained in silence until Hall came to take their order, which he did. Carly couldn't help but notice the dirty glances he sent her discretely, the way he didn't fully look at her when she gave her choice of lunch. What she didn't notice was Sara smiling in her direction every so often, unaware of the other woman's protective glances during the course of their luncheon.

Carly ate her salty fries shyly, feeling the heavy atmosphere she had unwittingly created. She felt awkward, and guilty; why had she blown up like that at this person, Sara? After only knowing her for an hour and she had already found herself feeling a wave of emotions for her: anger, frustration, confusion, happiness, and an awash of emotions she couldn't put to words. It was the way she acted, the way she talked about things: it was so..._real_. Real words and emotions, not a façade that concealed what she truly thought. Everything this person said was honest and genuine. And secretly, behind her wall of emotion, Carly liked it.

"S-sara?" Carly said, her voice weak and quiet. Sara raised her head, her hazel eyes seeming to sparkle in the cheap, fluorescent lighting.

"Yes?" she asked between bites of her thick sandwich. "Carly?" A look a flash of concern peaked at Carly from behind her hazel eyes.

"Will you answer my question?" she asked, the words barely audible. "The one I asked earlier?" Sara sighed, an obvious fear of answering Carly's previously asked question. But Carly had waited long enough. Now she wanted answers.

"Carly..." Sara said quietly, removing her eyes from Carly's expectant face. "I-I...I—"

"What?!" Carly nearly screamed, looking directly at the girl. Sara looked up slowly, bit her lip, and said:

"I've been helping you Carly because...I love you."


End file.
